Saudi Aramco has awarded the first large-scope services contract for its Marjan oilfield – the first of three major offshore expansions in Saudi Arabia, and the company’s largest upstream development project this year – to Baker Hughes (BHGE). Under the contract’s terms, BHGE will provide drilling services, coiled-tubing services and drilling fluids engineering services in Marjan.

The work will start this month with an aim to increase the field’s capacity. BHGE’s provision of drilling services will include logging-while-drilling, reservoir navigation services, and rotary steerable services.

“The Marjan oilfield is one of the major upstream developments this year that will contribute to the Kingdom’s oil production strengths, helping maintain capacity and meet domestic and global demand,” Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani,Senior Vice President of Upstream at Saudi Aramco, said. “We are pleased to work with BHGE as a partner with proven offshore drilling strengths and technologies.”

“We are honored to win the integrated services contract from Saudi Aramco, which highlights our strong performance track-record in Saudi offshore operations. BHGE is a leader in providing offshore drilling, and we understand the requirements of our customers,” Lorenzo Simonelli, Chairman, President and CEO of BHGE, said. “With a significant number of wells, the Marjan expansion requires proven and efficient technology, matched by digital competencies that BHGE can deliver, which will make the operations seamless. All our solutions for Marjan are designed to achieve the best outcomes that meet Saudi Aramco’s goals.”

BHGE’s localization footprint includes an assembly, maintenance and overhaul workshop, a drill bits manufacturing facility that exports to more than 40 countries; a completions and well intervention facility; a pressure control facility; the Dhahran Technology Center; an artificial lift facility that partners with 120 local suppliers; a turbomachinery processes and services facility; and a chemical blending plant.